Gary N.

So do you think the charging system will be able to keep up with all that extra equipment? My wife and I only have heated jackets and I have never had a problem. I do try to remember to turn my controller off when I'm riding slow through a town but don't always.

Never tried a plough but I made a ski for the front of my mini bike. It worked great on snow. Not so much on clear ice.

Well, if I can help you out a bit. It's beautiful bright and sunny here in Texas Hill Country this morning and I'm heading out for cycle therapy right now.

This is the one I use on the RSV. http://www.cruisercustomizing.com/show-chrome-accessories-big-bike-parts-tour-windshield-tint-yamaha-royal-star-venture/part/BBP-20-610T Not sure if they offer one for the Tour Deluxe.

Didn't they outlaw three wheel ATVs about 25 years ago after all the accidents?

I joined in Oct./04 shortly after I bought my first RSV. It was a lot easier to remember all the members names back then. Now old age has set in.

Try Fiddlers Inn on Music Valley Drive. Close to the Opry. John A's is right across the street too. You can get a shuttle to take you down town for $10/person round trip. We were there for New Years Eve and had a great time.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you Don and the whole VR family. Gary & Mary

Sorry, can't make it.

December 21

Date? Place? Time?

As I recall Steve wanted about $10K for the business including instructions but that was before we knew the 2nd Gen was discontinued I believe. Hard to say how many existing bike owners out there might be interested in one now at $200 each.

Before Steve died he offered the Grill business up for sale on here but I don't know if anyone picked it up. I've had two of his Grills and have been more than pleased with them. Yamaha should have put those on in the first place because they look like they belong on the bike.

I don't think it's necessary. At least for the roads I usually ride on. I avoid gravel/dirt roads at all costs. Now if you want to talk about Alaska, that would be a different story.

Most of the back roads are what I call tar and chip surfaced. I think they may call it chip sealed down there. The chips they use down there are more like 3/4" stone so they do seem a bit coarse. Not sure what you mean by speckled. The only time you might find some sand or gravel is after a rain where some driveway stone has washed out on to the road surface. There can be a lot of water crossings depending on how much rain they get. The last couple of winters have been pretty dry and the water crossings few and far between. I don't know what to recommend about going through them with a trike but on two wheels you need to stay in the track of the 4 wheeled vehicles. Get off of that line and it's like driving on snot. Don't ask me how I know that.

The Willow City Loop is the only busy spot, on weekends during Blue Bonnet season. All the other "back roads" are always good. The Three Sisters might be a little busier on weekends too, but not bad. Nothing like Deals Gap. Fredericksburg is always busy with tourists on the weekends too. Luckenbach is busier on weekends and during special events like Texas Independence Day in March. It's kind of neat to go to that celebration though.

Here's what I use. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Chopper-1-USA-Splitting-Maul-Axe-Single-Bit-Made-In-USA-Firewood-Tool-/370958632182?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item565edb84f6 Love it. I've split many cords of oak and ash with it. Found it works best when it's below freezing. After about 10 minutes you'll be in your shirt sleeves and working up a sweat. Makes for a great exercise program. A full body work out.

Hope you guys get this weather thing straightened out before the end of the month. I sure don't go south to find cold. Dry and 28*F here this morning.

Locked and loaded in the trailer. Ready to head south to Hill Country at the end of the month.

Congratulations Don. Hill Country is beautiful in the winter time.

If they get the rain they need this winter there should be lots of blue bonnets in the spring. The Willow City Loop is a popular area where a lot of the locals go to see them. It's really busy on the weekends (bumper to bumper on a narrow road) so We try to go only on week days. We are heading down the first week of Jan. to Buckhorn Lake RV Resort in Kerrville. Hope to be there until the end of April.

Steve, I found these http://www.ebay.com/itm/PYTHON-2-5-COMPETITION-BAFFLE-FOR-PREDATOR-SLIP-ON-MUFFLERS-21893-/291026048850?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43c2811752&vxp=mtr and many others on ebay. Why not look on there and find the ones you think will work the best, weld them to what you have and buy some packing and try it out. Much cheaper than the ones from Bub.

Best I can do. The tips were easy to knock off but I wasn't trying to be careful as I was changing them to HD fishtails. I just clamped the baffle in the vise and used a chisel to knock off the bub tips. This pic shows how I welded on some nuts to take up the space of the thickness of the original tips and center the baffles. The HD tips were only stamped steel.

My son Jeff called at 4:00 am this morning to let us know that our grandson Benjamin David Nantais has arrived safe and sound. He, Mom and Dad are all doing well. A special Happy Birthday present for Great Grandma Iler.

Hi Evan, not sure if we'll get up to Toronto again before we leave or not. Thought we might but not looking good now. I'll let you know if we do. Not planning to leave for Texas until after the 15th.